Thursday, 29 December 2011

An X-ray is a widely used diagnostic test to examine the inside of the body. X-rays are a very effective way of detecting problems with bones, such as fractures. They can also often identify problems with soft tissue, such as pneumonia or breast cancer.

What are X-rays?

X-rays are a type of radiation. Radiation is a general term that refers to any sort of energy that can travel through space as either a wave or a particle. Examples of other types of radiation include:

•light,

•radio waves, and

•microwaves.

X-rays are similar to light, except that they have a much higher frequency, which makes them invisible to the naked eye.

Due to their high frequency, X-rays can pass through the human body. This makes X-rays ideal for looking inside the body.

Safety

X-rays consist of a type of radiation known as ionising radiation. Ionising radiation is high-energy radiation. It can damage the cells of the body and cause mutations in the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which can trigger cancer in later life. DNA is a type of acid that contains all human genetic material.

However, ionising radiation is only a threat to health when a person is exposed to a significantly high dose, such as after the disaster that occurred in the nuclear plant at Chernobyl in the former Soviet Union in 1986.

The doses that are used in medical X-rays are very low and are thought to be very safe. They are similar in strength to other sources of natural radiation that people are exposed to every day.

For example, Brazil nuts contain a tiny trace of a radioactive substance called radium, so are slightly radioactive. The radiation that you are exposed to during a typical chest X-ray is the same dose that you would receive if you ate four bags of Brazil nuts.

Wednesday, 28 December 2011

2012 is the year for you to start reading books (whilst stuck in traffic trying to get home from the Olympics)

Synopsis - Includes stories about a girl locked out of her home, sitting on the doorstep all night; about a tyrant in place of a mother, who has two sets of false teeth and a revolver in the duster drawer, waiting for Armageddon; and, about growing up in an northern industrial town now changed beyond recognition, part of a community now vanished.

Monday, 26 December 2011

Britain's competition regulator said it would abolish a 13 year old order that prevents suppliers of electrical goods from recommending resale prices to retailers and from restricting or withholding supply from retailers.
The Competition Commission (CC) said on Thursday that significantly increased competition in the market for goods such as televisions and washing machines since the order was introduced in 1998 have removed the need for the safeguards it provided.It said significant developments have included the entry of both grocery and online retailers into the supply of electrical goods, the increased ability for consumers to search and compare prices, as well as the emergence of new suppliers-both branded and retailer own-label.The CC also considers that the Competition Act 1998 now provides an effective mechanism to address attempts to fix prices or restrict supply unfairly."This market has changed enormously since the order was introduced and there no longer seems any reason for these goods to require additional regulations in comparison with other consumer items," said CC Chairman Roger Witcomb.

We wonder with Alex Salmond’s war cry for independence we wonder how much longer it will be united…

We personally don’t think they have thought it through.

There is no direct precedent for whether Scotland would automatically remain an EU member or retain the pound after separating from the rest of the UK.

This, in turn, would likely mean would be forced to adopt the euro as the UK’s opt-out from the single currency would not apply.

It also suggested that Scotland would have to pay millions of pounds more into the EU’s coffers, because the UK’s rebate would no longer apply, as well as £8.4 billion to bail out euro members like Greece in future economic crises.

No wonder the SNP have refused point-blank to publish the legal advice they hold because it fatally undermines their case for separation.

Citing an independent Scotland’s increased financial contribution to the EU, she said the UK’s size, and strength gives it a negotiating and bargaining edge that Mr Salmond would lack.

The newly independent state would be outside the EU and would need to apply for membership of the EU in the same way as any other non-member.

This would make Scotland liable for loans to euro members, such as Greece and Italy, with “sovereign debt problems” and ensure it pays more into the EU budget than it receives in grants and Common Agricultural Policy payments.

Without the UK’s rebate, citizens in a separate Scotland would each pay £92 per year more into the EU than the country received.

Oil, Oil, Oil be seeing you...

enough of the politics, we hope you have a great time eating left over turkey and drinking

Saturday, 24 December 2011

Christmas is a time of hope. A time to set aside differences. To celebrate the renewal of the human spirit. And a time to avoid three groups of moaning gits: teetotal Christians, hipster atheists and Sparkies.

time to enjoy putting jam (cranberry jelly) on Turkey, grandma’s flatulence, the Pogues, uncomfortable new clothes.

Don't watch too many Christmas adverts, they are nothing to do with Christmas, they only want to sell you stuff you don’t need.

What did you get??? A telephone with a camera in it? A camera with a telephone in it?

Have fun explaining how Immaculate Conception works to your kids.

Please don’t point out that, while the Nativity is, of course, a holy and wonderful thing, Easter, with its centrepiece of betrayal, torture and crucifixion, is more spiritually rewarding.

Happy Christmas to the Atheists who think its all "disgusting" or "dangerously deluded".

Christmas is a time when believers and atheists hold a ceasefire; the centre ground is given over to the vast majority of people who hold no firm convictions either way.

Let's face it, it still is. I suspect we massively underestimate the level of agnosticism among churchgoers and God-deniers. The traditional agnostic version of the Christmas story – some sort of special baby born in a stable, vaguely symbolising hope for the human race if we could just get along with one another. Is that so bad?

The more atheists mock the Nativity as a fairy story, the more sense it makes. The more Christians sneer at Christmas as a vulgar secularised holiday with drinks, the better it sounds. Life's a wobbly conga of uncertainty anyway, with or without Mulled wine & tinsel.

All we can say is please, please just enjoy yourself and we hope you realise just how lucky you are…

No more hate groups on Facebook

stay away from Twitter - #stopmoaningaboutXmas

Are we better or worse off than we used to be? Was Christmas Past really more fun? Does it really matter, just enjoy it.

Please be aware that D A Woolgar Limited office will be closing for the festive period. The office will be closed for business from 1pm on Friday 23rd December and will re-open at 8.00am on Wednesday 28th. we will close from 1pm on Friday 30th December and will re-open at 8.00am on Tuesday 3rd January 2012.

If you do get any 'trouble' in that period - our emergency call out number is 07746 243 248

we wish you a Happy Christmas (or Seasons Greetings, if you prefer) and a Happy new Year!

LCD TVs come in a much larger range of sizes and tend to use less power than plasma TV sets, but viewing angles can often be inferior. Plasma TVs are only available in large screen sizes of 37 inches or more but tend to do blacks better. They can be prone to screen burn, but we don’t think this is really an issue anymore.

What about LED TVs?

Ultra-slim LED TVs are LCD sets with one crucial difference – the handful of backlight lamps that illuminate the screen have been replaced by hundreds of smaller LEDs (light emitting diodes).

LEDs promise a number of advantages over the traditional backlit LCD.

Without the typically bulkier lamps illuminating the screen, LED sets can be designed and built to be even slimmer than traditional LCD sets. LEDs are also more energy-efficient than traditional bulbs.

Even better than that - What about 3D TV?

We are looking forward to a system where you don’t need the 3D glasses. As a glasses wearer, wearing two pairs is no fun, not to relax in your own home.

HD TVs that can display 3D TV pictures are the latest innovation to hit the high street. To watch, you'll need one of the new 3D-ready TVs, a pair of 3DTV glasses – and some 3D content to watch.

Look like the BBC will run a 3D TV service for the Olympics and you can get 3D Blu-ray players too.

3D technology isn’t new. Two cameras are used to record slightly different perspectives of the same image, which are displayed on screen as a double image. Polarising or active-shutter glasses filter a different image to each eye, creating the illusion of depth.

The 3D effect on the TVs we've seen is impressive, but the sets are expensive and now there's not much in the way of 3D content to watch. All 3D TVs can play back regular 2D content, too.

Father Christmas' sledge broke down on Christmas Eve. He flagged down a passing motorist and asked, 'Can you help me fix my sledge?'
'Sorry,' the motorist replied. 'I'm not a mechanic - I'm a chiropodist.''Well, can you give me a toe?'

Thursday, 22 December 2011

The Environmental Audit Committee and Energy and Climate Change Committee say ministers are right to make changes, but are doing so "clumsily".

Government plans include restricting access to solar subsidies to houses meeting energy efficiency standards.
Thousands of solar industry jobs could be at risk, the committees warn.

On Wednesday, a group of companies and environmental groups won a legal judgement against one of the changes.
Central to their campaign was the Department of Energy and Climate Change's (Decc) plan to halve abruptly the level of feed-in tariff (FiT) that small-scale solar installations attract, from 43p per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to 21p.

The FiTs are paid by energy companies to householders and communities to subsidise solar electricity generation.

It had been expected that the new tariff would come into effect from 1 April; but in October, the government said it would apply to anyone installing their solar panels after 12 December.

The High Court ruled that changing the tariffs before the end of an official consultation period was "legally flawed".

Tuesday, 20 December 2011

Government plans to cut financial incentives for solar electricity have created "huge economic uncertainty" and are "manifestly unlawful", the High Court was told.

The accusations were made by environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth (FoE) and two solar companies, Solarcentury and HomeSun, as they jointly launched an application for a judicial review.

They say Energy Secretary Chris Huhne is proposing "retrospectively" to cut feed-in tariff subsidies (FITs), payments made to households and communities that generate green electricity through solar panels, on any installations completed after 12 December this year

watch this space. we dont think the govt line will change as the FIT rate was probably unsustainable. but stranger things have happened.

Monday, 19 December 2011

How long will the digital camera be the tool of choice for general snapping? With the growing number of iOS and Android, apps that are designed as photography tools and 8 mp cameras in phones, the only reason you would buy a camera now is for the better optics.

We (I) are Canon fans, but we have to say the new Sony’s are quite innovative.

Sony has started offering their latest translucent bodies, the SLT-A77V and the SLT-A65 late 2011.

The A77 (with A65) carries the one of the highest resolution APS-C CMOS sensor in the industry. Although 24.3 megapixels is, still a long way from those freakishly high-resolution Foveon sensors, this level of resolution is still new for a commercially affordable APS-C sensor.

Sunday, 18 December 2011

What do you do with old gadgets if you get new ones for Christmas?

Lets face it, we all love gadgets for Christmas, but whether you get a new smartphone or a plasma screen TV, you will probably have an old piece of equipment that you need to dispose of.

However, research suggests that many of us do not know how to offload our old and unwanted electrical goods in an environmentally suitable way.

in the UK throw away around a million tonnes of electrical items every year. Last year 38% of people said that they had disposed of a large electrical item such as a fridge and 44% had disposed of a small item such as a kettle or hair straighteners within the previous 12 months.

However, more than a third of people (35%) say they don’t know where to take electricals to be recycled, and the same percentage believe electrical goods can’t be recycled.

D A Woolgar tips are

Ask the retailer where you bought the product if they’ll take products back;

take small electrical appliances to your local civic amenity site; Tidy Tip

The Olympic Spirit is neither the property of one race nor of one age. The Olympics are for the people, not corporate advertising, let the games begin. The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.

But besides that, does anyone know where we can get tickets cos we really wanted to go. But the lottery was not kind to us.

How many more years will the newspaper survive, with the tablet such as the i-pad turning on virtually instantly and lasting 10 hours, and the environmental issues of use of resources (paper and ink) and the carbon footprint of distribution we think the humble tabloids days are numbered.

Our phone-tapping friends from Aus are experimenting with Micro payments and I haven’t read the Times on line since. Hence, the reason he wants to kill the BBC because we love and thrust their free news web site.

Friday, 16 December 2011

Mobile phones are changing so much. Apparently at the last Olympics, in the stadium the mobile phone use was 80% voice, 20% date, predictions for 2012 are 20% voice and 80% data. YouTube here we come :)

Almost half of Britons own a Smartphone.

The herculean battle over patents has made us laugh, like kids squabbling over a football in a playing field. It’s VHS vs. Betamax all over again, and both of them still have loads more to do, because as the technology gets better, so do the problems.

will the paranoid android beat the iphone by app depth alone. we think the market has already shown. but we dont want android to spiral into Chaos, the way Microsoft Windows did.

on a totally different note, we think computer sortware needs a rewrite from the ground up... Windows is a real mess, a mish mash of many stupid ideas and it cant be saved, it time to give up and start again. I want a lap top to be like an Ipad, push the button n in 5 seconds its working... challenge on

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

Your computer keyboard is FIVE TIMES dirtier than your toilet seat - and could even give you 'qwerty tummy'

Computer keyboards can harbour more harmful bacteria than a lavatory seat, it has been claimed.Many users are at risk of becoming ill with stomach bugs; according to the consumer group Which?It warned that 'qwerty tummy', named after the first six letters on a keyboard, could sweep through workplaces after tests on equipment in its own London offices showed alarming results.

One keyboard was so dirty that a microbiologist ordered it to be removed, quarantined and cleaned.It had 150 times the acceptable limit for bacteria and was five times as filthy as a typical lavatory seat.Anyone who eats a sandwich or piece of fruit having been tapping on such a keyboard can pick up bacteria that could lead to a stomach upset.

The scientist swabbed 33 keyboards for food poisoning bugs e.coli, coliforms, staphylococcus aureus and enterobacteria and compared the results to those found on a lavatory seat and lavatory door handle.Four of the keyboards were considered a potential health hazard and one was "condemned".

Two had "warning levels" of staphylococcus aureus and two others had "worryingly elevated" levels of coliforms and enterobacteria, "putting users at high risk of becoming ill from contact".The expert said the findings were typical of offices all over Britain.

Tuesday, 13 December 2011

It’s nearly a new year, time and opportunity for a clean out. If you are like most of us you have just been up in the loft to get your Christmas decorations down and the only other time you go up there is to get down the suitcases for the annual trip to warmer climes (or colder if you like to ski)

Lets face it your loft if full of stuff you never ever use. its time to have a clear out, and while you are up there, once it clear, throw some more loft insulation up there.

Monday, 12 December 2011

HOUSE prices in Bedford Borough have been deemed “unaffordable” after a survey has revealed that they are 10 times the average salary.

The National Housing Federation has released figures from a survey that has shown that a whole generation of people is being locked out of the housing market.
The survey shows that people in Bedfordshire on an average wage, earning £21,923 a year, would have to save all of their pre-tax salary for three years to just put a deposit down on a house.
The Grand Union Housing Group (GUHG), parent company of Aragon Housing Association, has been joined by Bedfordshire Pilgrims and Aldwyck Housing Associations in calling on the government to build more affordable homes.
GUHG chief executive Alan Humphreys said: “There’s no doubt we are seeing increased pressure on social housing as more and more people are squeezed off the private property market by high prices and rising private rents.
“We urgently need the government to rethink its investments in creating new affordable homes.”
People in the borough would need to a salary of £46,724 to afford an average price property, or £29,998 for a lower-value home.
MP for Bedford and Kempston Richard Fuller raised the issue in the House Of Commons this week after he discovered, through his own research, that the average house buyer in 2007 will pay £250,000 more over 25 years than someone who bought a home in 1997.

Saturday, 10 December 2011

I have seen what looks like green gunk seeping out of some old twin and earth cables. What is it and what should I do?

Green gunge (also known as green goo) is sometimes seen exuding from the ends of older PVC insulated and sheathed cable. It is normally seen in cables made in the 1960s and 1970s, but not generally seen in modern PVC cables.

Its origin is the plasticiser used to provide flexibility in the PVC polymer compound. This is generally di-octyl phthalate, which over time or with excessive heat has reacted with the copper conductors to produce copper phthalate (hence the green colour) suspended in the liquid plasticiser. The material is a health concern, so should be handled with care – gloves should be used and waste disposed of properly.
Although there does not appear to be a problem with the electrical performance or safety of the cable itself, any exuded gunge should be removed as it can cause corrosion or affect the action of switches and terminations, potentially resulting in tracking / overheating. It can also cause cosmetic problems such as staining. The affected circuits should be rewired as soon as possible.

The original manufacturer of the cable should be contacted if there are any additional questions.

I don’t get all this waffle about the EU veto / opt out. the only peaple who really care about it are the political commentators, no one in the pub really cares and they are the ppl who fund the eurozone (beer taxes etc)

I am neither Pro or against Europe.

It does seem that the PM was right, as most of the capital raised would come out of the UK due to the City of London being where a lot of it all happens

I have long worried about some of the rules that we have been tied into, many of them stupid, some of them ridiculous and many of them other countries blatantly flouting. Again, nothing will change, as we are not opting out of these rules, just the new ones, a kind of oki koki politics

Anyone who says we will be in isolation obviously has no concept of the EU at all. The EU is an ineffective old boys club. It’s expensive and doesn’t have teeth. Well if it does, it only has a menacing growl and a gummy bite.

So now, Germany and puppet Sarkozy has a new euroclub, one it has to fund virtually on its own. Do I care? Not really. Will it affect our ability to trade? Not really! As long as we have products ppl need, things will carry on regardless. Unfortunately once ppl realise this the question will be, why did we pay so much to be in this ‘old boys’ club. we didnt even get a membership tie and an aire of superiorority

For years, people have talked about a British veto. For years, it has existed as a threat never used. Not any more.

Although new central control mechanisms are supposed to be like a shock absorber / buffer this does not solve the Euro crisis, it merely makes the likelihood of the current problems recurring unlikely. There are still deep-seated problems related to governments acting like teenagers receiving their first pay packet and blowing the lot on beer.

As time goes by just watch how other European voters begin to react. Already the Swedes are beginning to realise that they may be better out than in; when others reflect on the cost of giving up more sovereignty they will then begin to behave in unpredictable ways.

Time will tell on this one! However, don’t worry, you, and I won’t even notice the difference?

Friday, 9 December 2011

Yes, YY cable’s flexible layers make it attractive for linking fixed and mobile equipment – as well as projects involving light mechanical stress and fixed installations. It is found in use in transport infrastructure, building and construction and automation and process control industries as a signal and control cable for machine tools, in assembly lines and plant engineering. If it is to be used in installations subject to the IEE Wiring Regulations, an assessment of equivalent safety and performance should be undertaken and recorded. Care should be taken that any necessary mechanical protection is provided for the cable

We Have come to realise it's better to be fit than fat!!!! Always remember to be thankful for what you have no matter what life throws at you because there's always someone worse off than you....... your health is important. Don’t pay for expensive Gym membership, buy a bike, but please don’t sue us if you get knocked off by a bus. Swimming is good too, unless you can’t swim, then we suggest you avoid water.

Thursday, 8 December 2011

It looks like the cost of energy will continue to be a hot topic for 2012.

As industry officials, consumer groups and a string of energy companies struggle withmaking it easier to compare and switch suppliers.

So what can you do in the meantime?

There are two main ways of reducing bills: shopping around for the best deals and making their homes energy efficient. Doing both could save the average family hundreds of pounds every year.

Switching energy suppliers

Research by home insurance provider swiftcover.com has found gas and electricity bills are the biggest financial worry for Britons with 39 per cent having cited utility bills as their top concern – ahead of meeting mortgage repayments.

The fact is that relatively few people are shopping around. In fact, more than half of households have never switched, according to analysis by MoneySupermarket.com, and could be paying well over the top for their energy.

Those who aren't shopping around for the best deal are simply burning money as finding the right tariff for their consumption level and region means bill-payers could save on average £237 per year

Make your home energy efficient

The average home can save up to £280-a-year through being more efficient, according to the Energy Saving Trust (est.org.uk), which launches its annual Energy Saving Week on Monday with the focus being on how to take back control of your spiralling energy bills.

Richard Bryson, from the Trust, said that everyone could start saving money immediately by implementing some small changes around their homes.

For example, about £35-a-year can be saved simply by turning appliances off at the plug rather than leaving them on stand-by, while £60 can be shaved off the annual bill by turning the thermostat down by just one degree.

The first thing to do when looking to reduce your energy bills is to consider insulating your home with loft and cavity wall insulation as the savings which can be made by properly insulating your home are enough to get all homeowners to sit up and take notice.

According to the Trust, cavity wall insulation can save you about £135-a-year on fuel bills while insulating your loft will save about £175. Also worth considering is insulating beneath floorboards and filling gaps and cracks around floors and skirting boards.

Energy can also be saved depending on the products you buy. You can look for the Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo on electrical appliances, which is a quick and easy way to spot the most energy efficient models available. The Trust estimates that replacing an old, inefficient, fridge-freezer with an energy saving recommended version could save you £26-a-year.

Make money from energy

Installing solar photovoltaic cells – which can be put on your roof or walls and capture the sun's energy, which is then turned into electricity – can not only cut your bills but potentially make you money as well.

Once you have paid for the initial installation your electricity costs should be significantly reduced. The Energy Saving Trust suggests that a typical home solar PV system can produce around 75 per cent of the electricity a household uses in a year.

You can potentially make money on any excess electricity by selling it back to the grid through a scheme known as Feed-In Tariffs (cut December 2011 to half) However, solar installations do not come cheap. Although prices will vary, you will probably be looking at the best part of £10,000 - £12,000 and would be advised to check with your local authority building control officer that the work will comply with existing regulations.

Using candles safely

Make sure the candleholder holds the candle/tea light firmly and is on a flat and stable surface to stop it falling over.

Always put the candleholder on a heat resistant surface like a ceramic plate (tea lights can melt plastic surfaces such as the top of a television or the side of a bath).

Always leave at least 10cm (four inches) between burning candles/tea lights and never place them under shelves or other enclosed spaces. Keep candles/tea lights, matches and lighters out of the reach of children and pets.

Keep candles/tea lights away from curtains, furniture and anything else that can catch fire. Keep loose clothing and hair away from candles/tea lights when they are lit.

Monday, 5 December 2011

Re the Government’s plan to reduce the Feed in Tariffs (FITs).
As proposed after December 12th, reduction in payments for PV systems are from 43p to 21p per kWh. The FIT scheme still delivers an excellent return in the region of 5% on investment.

The Government has stated it will consult with the industry before making a final decision. We look forward to have this opportunity to have our voice heard and draft our response by the deadline, December 23rd.
Due to the fall in installation costs it has been accepted that the tariff would need to be revised however it is clear there will still be an incentive for renewable technology.

We believe the foundation is now in place to make the renewable sector a sustainable and long term growth industry because of the issue of rising energy costs.

Dear Santa,
Listen you fat little troll, I've been helping you out every year, playing at being the perfect Christmas present, wearing skimpy bathing suits in mid winter, drowning in fake tea from too many tea parties. I hate to break it to you Santa, but it is DEFINITELY pay back time!!

There had better be some changes around here this Christmas, or I'm gonna call for a nationwide meltdown (and trust me, you don't want to be around to smell it!) So, here's my Chrimbo wish list for this year, Santa.

1. A nice, comfy pair of Jogging bottoms and a frumpy, oversized sweatshirt, pineapple if it HAS to be bloomin pink. I'm sick of looking like a an extra in TOWIE. How much smaller are these bathing suits gonna get? Do you have any idea what it feels like to have nylon and velcro up your bum?

2. Real underwear that can be pulled on and off. Preferably white. What bonehead at Mattel decided to be cheap and mold imitation underwear to my skin? it just makes me sweat.

3. A REAL man....maybe G.I.Joe. Hell, I'd take Tickle-Me-Elmo over that wimped out excuse for a boy-toy Ken. And what's with the earring??? in fact the new drummer elmo is a party annimal, after his last gig we got together and I had multiple 'lady crisis's", you know the thingies that make the TOWIE girls drop their kebab..

anyway? If I'm going to have to suffer with him, make us anatomically correct. Wink

4. Arms that actually bend so I can push the aforementioned Ken-wimp away once he is anatomically correct.

5. Breast reduction surgery. I don't care whose arm you have to twist, just do it!! (see note @ bottom)

6. A propper support bra. To wear until I get the surgery.

7. A new career. I need a new challenge, vet & teacher just don't cut it. anyway, the pensin for a teacher aint what it used to be... How about a systems analyst? Or better yet, a public relations senior account exec!! any chance you can get me Steve Jobs's old post.

8. A new, more post 2k persona. Maybe, civil rights activist Barbie (no pink tent's plz), complete with an ipad to blog from Westminster, and a nice pad to go home to in Kensington when it gets cold at night. oh and a P A who can spell check my Tweetin wouldnt go amiss too :)

9. No more McDonald's endorsements. The grease is wrecking my vinyl.

10. mattel stock options. It's been 37 years-I think I deserve it!

11. No more Tea.. I am sick of the stuff, from now on sell me with a Tassimo and a lifetime supply of Carte Noire Latte Macchiato.

and please tell Mr. Allmark (VP) that killing me off the increase sales is a violation of my civil rights, tell him to keep the bloomin Conrad Murray away from me. even if he does go into plastic surgery.

Okay Santa, that's it. considering my valuable contribution to society, I don't think these requests are out of line. If you disagree, then you can find yourself a new bitch for next Christmas. It's that simple.

Sunday, 4 December 2011

The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) has launched a free smartphone app to help people ensure their families and homes are safe. The launch comes following a new study by ESC that finds millions of people in the UK expose themselves and their families to potentially fatal accidents in the home through simple electrical blunders because of an alarming lack of knowledge about the real danger of electricity.

The research from ESC reveals a dangerous level of ignorance about the perils of electricity in UK households. In the past year, almost one million people have repaired an appliance while it is still plugged in; despite the fact this can result in a fatal or serious injury. Other electrical ‘confessions’ included knowingly using faulty plugs or sockets (12.2 million people), ignoring burning smells coming from an appliance or socket (1.5 million people) and trailing cables near hot surfaces or cookers (2 million people).
People are severely misjudging the risks involved with electricity. At least one person dies each week from its everyday use, while 350,000 people are injured annually. Yet those surveyed were as concerned about having an electrical accident as they were of being in a plane crash, or getting struck by lightning. In reality, on average, only one person in the UK is killed by lightning each year and no one has died in a commercial plane accident in 11 years.

Most electrical accidents can be prevented by a Residual Current Device (RCD), a life-saving device which prevents you from getting a fatal electric shock if you touch something live, such as a bare wire. It works by cutting power if there is a surge. However, the ESC study shows a serious lack of knowledge of this vital safety device: 70% of people surveyed do not know what an RCD is and almost half of all UK homes (49%) don’t have adequate RCD protection. In contrast, smoke alarms are owned by 88% of the population but nearly half (49%) of accidental house fires in the UK are caused by electricity.

The new ESCapp allows anyone – whether they live in the home or are looking to move into it – to do a quick, visual check, to ensure its electrically safety. Designed to be as easy-to-use as possible, the app highlights potential dangers in each room and explains how to resolve simple, non-technical problems. Where more serious issues are flagged, people are advised to use a registered electrician. The app is available for iPhone and Android phones - just go to the App Store or Android Market, search for ‘Home Electrical Safety Check’ then follow the instructions to download.

Director General of the ESC, Phil Buckle, said: “Electricity has become vital to our lives since the formation of the National Grid, 76 years ago. Yet even though we are using more electrical products than ever before, there is a worrying gap between the public’s perception of electrical danger and the reality, with people making simple yet potentially fatal errors that can be easily prevented. The ESC’s Home Electrical Safety Check app was designed to bridge that gap. We wanted to create something which people would find effortless but essential. It can be used any time in your home. It can also be used as a basic tool when viewing accommodation, whether you are planning to buy or rent. Landlords too, should find it useful, as it will allow them to review their properties to ensure tenant safety.”

For more information on all aspects of electrical safety visit the ESC website at www.esc.org.uk.

Not the stupid programme on the BBC with the arrogant sugar dude. We are looking for a 2012 apprentice. We didn’t find one in this years work experience lads (there weren’t any lasses), so there is an opening and its up to you to impress us to get the position… don’t wait till July 2012, because, by then it way well be too late. Make 2012 your year to be proactive.

we would like a quality candidate, sex is not important so Girls can apply too. we already have interviews lined up with Shannah Sherman and Claudia Finlayson so 2012 could be the first year we take on a female sparky...

Saturday, 3 December 2011

There is not a lot we can do about the chaos in the Eurozone, its all doom n gloom. so at D A Woolgar, we are going to attempt to celebrate the brighter side. we say 'hang it', forget the figures, forget the predictions, 2012 cant be all that bad.

we say there has to be things to look forward to in 2012

so we are going to attempt, I say attempt as we havent fully thought this through yet, to do a A - Zed countdown to 2012. yes guys and girls, its only 26 days till New Year...

Most electrical accidents can be prevented by a Residual Current Device (RCD), a life-saving device which prevents you from getting a fatal electric shock if you touch something live, such as a bare wire. It works by cutting power if there is a surge. However, the ESC study shows a serious lack of knowledge of this vital safety device: 70% of people surveyed do not know what an RCD is and almost half of all UK homes (49%) don’t have adequate RCD protection. In contrast, smoke alarms are owned by 88% of the population but nearly half (49%) of accidental house fires in the UK are caused by electricity.

Celebrity home improvers, Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan, want people to take charge of their electrical safety. Colin said: “We have seen plenty of dodgy wiring in our time but often it is the simple things that people could check themselves – such as a wire left near a hot surface or an overloaded socket – that can lead to a serious accident. We are urging everyone – including those looking to move into a new home – to download the free ESC app as a basic protection for themselves and their families.”

Friday, 2 December 2011

Ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals may be eminently achievable using available technologies, a new study finds, although the virtual elimination of fossil fuel to generate electricity is required.

The widespread electrification of transportation and other sectors within 40 years is a key requirement to meet emission reduction targets, with residents plugging their electrical cars into decarbonized grids, according to the paper, published online Friday by the journal Science.

Electricity would largely replace petrol use, growing from 15 percent to 55 percent of end-use as petroleum would fall from 45 percent to 15 percent between 2010 and 2050, according to modeling. Reaching greenhouse gas reduction targets would also require the phaseout of all coal power plants at the end of their 30-year lifespans, leaving only CO2-producing power plants that use carbon capture sequestration, a yet unproven technology

At least one person in the UK dies each week from an electrical accident and nearly 1,000 are injured every day

Complacency is leading to basic blunders, including repairing appliances whilst still plugged in

People don’t know the danger of electricity, citing plane crashes and lightning strikes as similar concerns, despite fatalities due to electricity being drastically higher

Celebrity home improvement experts Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan urge UK to download ESC’s new smartphone safety app to ‘bridge the gap’ between the public’s perception of electrical danger and the reality

A new study finds that millions of people in the UK expose themselves and their families to potentially fatal accidents in the home through simple electrical blunders because of an alarming lack of knowledge about the real danger of electricity. Today, on the birthday of the National Grid, the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) is launching a free smartphone app to help people ensure their families and homes are safe.

The research from ESC reveals a dangerous level of ignorance about the perils of electricity in UK households. In the past year, almost one million people have repaired an appliance while it is still plugged in; despite the fact this can result in a fatal or serious injury. Other electrical ‘confessions’ included knowingly using faulty plugs or sockets (12.2 million people), ignoring burning smells coming from an appliance or socket (1.5 million people) and trailing cables near hot surfaces or cookers (2 million people).